Daughter of Fire and Steel
by HardBoiled
Summary: AU Man of Steel universe. Kara-El is a soldier under Zod's command but questions her loyalties when she meets her long lost cousin Kal-El.
1. Chapter 1

(Ever since seeing Man of Steel I've this had idea bouncing around in my head. This Kara will not be like the Supergirl from the comics. She will be older, tougher, and a member of Zod's followers. The story will jump back and forth with flashbacks similar to the movie.)

"_Freak!" one of Kara's attackers shouted as they knocked her to the ground. This wasn't the first time Aethyr-Zer, Car-Vex, and Quex-Ul attacked her but this would be the one she makes them regret it. She retaliated by kicking Car in the knees and Quex in the groin. Both of them dropped, surprised by the violence. Kara shot up and tackled Aethyr to the ground, unleashing a fury of fists that turned her fellow cadet bloody. Freak. Weakling. Abomination. Those were just a few words that were used to describe her. On Krypton, natural births had been banned centuries ago. All Kryptonians were born in test tubes and large lab vats. Only a few bloodlines were used in the process of a caste system. Warrior, Worker, and Leader were only a few varieties created and had no way of changing their fates. If you were a soldier, you stayed a soldier for life regardless of your own choice._

_Kara-El was born to be a soldier but something went wrong with her genetic makeup. Normal traits excluded from Soldier Class were in her DNA. Emotions especially compassion were things that were not wanted on the battlefield. But the codex process wasn't perfect. Sometimes children were born with a flawed genetic makeup. Hundreds of years ago, Kara would have been killed off as a flawed template but those days were long gone. New laws since then allowed defects like her to live but they were practically blacklisted from the moment of birth. The Kandor Military Academy had no room for failure. You either passed whatever challenge you were given or you didn't graduate. Kara was the runt of the litter as far as the rest of her classmates were concerned. It wasn't that she was inferior physically. She could pass the obstacles courses, hand to hand combat, weapons training, and everything else just as well as everyone else. But in the back of their minds, the emotions she felt inside of her made her weak. Kara had been provoked into so many fights she lost count of all of them._

_Kara didn't know how long she had been hitting Aethyr she was pulled off. Car and Quex tried to hold her but a head butt and elbow to the head later, they were stumbling back. Aethyr knocked Kara's legs out from under her and once again the two were brawling on the ground. It didn't matter how many blows she received from Aethyr or kicks to the sternum from Car and Quex, Kara never stopped fighting back. Then a quick movement of something massive, it was all over. An eight foot tall Kryptonian named Nam-Ek grabbed both Car and Quex, lifting them off their feet and tossing them aside. It was meant to break up the fight rather than inflict harm but it was still impressive feat of strength. Aethyr quickly got to her feet and backed away._

"_This is what our warriors have been reduced to?" asked a low but commanding voice. Kara quickly got to her feet and stood at attention as did the others. Commander Dru-Zod, probably one of the greatest soldiers alive approached with a disappointed look on his face. He assessed the perpetrators one by one until his eyes stopped on Kara. "A bunch of pathetic squabbling children who don't know the meaning of the word discipline," scoffed Zod._

"_Sir we were…" Aethyr protested and instantly regretted it._

"_Did I give you permission to speak?!" snapped Zod. Aethyr shook her head. "You called Kara-El a freak and defective and yet you are the ones I see as defective and useless. If you cannot maintain discipline when you are off duty then you aren't worthy of standing in these halls. You three are dismissed." Kara's attackers quickly saluted and made themselves scarce. Now Zod turned his attention to her. "Who threw the first punch?"_

"_I did," Kara immediately answered. She made no excuses as there were none._

"_Your father assured me that your genetic flaws would in no way impede you in maintaining military discipline. Perhaps he was wrong and perhaps you should reconsider your place here. You are dismissed," Zod replied coldly. Kara saluted and walked away, certain her future in the army was over. True soldiers carried out their duties and let nothing get under their skin. And yet Kara could be so easily provoked by the simplest of words. Freak. Weakling. Abomination. If someone said these words to General Zod would he strike them? He probably wouldn't even care. His discipline and composure under duress was something to admire and emulate. But Kara never could be like him. He was the perfect soldier and she would never be. She was imperfect both genetically and emotionally._

_It wasn't like she could go somewhere else. The Kandor Military Academy was where the future commanders and generals were trained and molded and it was obvious Kara wasn't going to graduate with honors here. Maybe she could try enlisting as a common soldier, not a commissioned officer. That's where all the so called genetically flawed soldiers were sent and they seemed to adapt to their positions quite well. The only reason Kara gained entry into the most prestigious school was because of her family's connections. Her guardian Zor-El was the Krypton's top military scientist and the head of their house Kal-El was friends with Zod and used their connections to get her here. And Kara turned out to be a big disappointment._

_She made her way back to the dormitories to pack up her things. Class was dismissed for the next several days due for the Rao Festival Holiday and Kara had plans to return home to see her guardians Zor-El and Alura. If Kryptonians still physically gave birth, they might be considered her parents. But now that their entire race was genetically engineered, caregivers to the young were called guardians. Granted she called them Mom and Dad just as Zor-El called Kal-El brother. Life wasn't always easy with them. Zor-El was always busy with one of his science projects that Kara would sometimes not see him for entire days when she was a child. But Kara wouldn't trade them for anyone else on the planet._

"_Cadet," chimed in Xaroz as it hovered towards her. The lantern-shaped machine was personally in charge of delivering messages to all personal on the academy grounds. Because of its close proximity to the Tower of Rao, the capitol building of Krypton, no com unit or unauthorized communication device was permitted in the vicinity. Security reasons was always the excuse they always gave for it but Kara personally thought they just did it to have more control over the students. "You have message from Zor-El."_

_Xaroz's three dimensional display formed into the face of Zor-El. "Sweetheart I heard you had another fight in the academy. That's the fifth time this semester," it spoke with Zor-El's voice. Correction, it was now the sixth time. "Zod's pull with the school can only go so far. Look I know they're provoking you and they deserve every black eye and bloody nose you give them. But if you're expelled, whatever opportunities you have in the military will be gone. Wait a second…Damn it another circuit breaker! I have to go. We'll talk more after the demonstration later tonight. Everything should be great assuming it doesn't blow up in my face."_

* * *

Sub-Commander Kara El's eyes snapped open as a klaxon went off. Her shift was going to start soon and she needed to get ready. Like other Kryptonians, she didn't require much sleep but that didn't help if you couldn't get any sleep at all and even when you did you would dream of days gone past. She was so naïve and young then, back when she actually had a family and a home. Kara wanted to be the big hero fighting injustices until the harsh reality of the universe took away everything that mattered to her. Krypton was gone, her parents were gone, and everything worth fighting for or even living for was gone. Kara was sure most of the crew felt the same way and only Zod's guidance truly kept them all going.

General Zod was the leader Krypton needed and when he failed, so did Krypton. In a strange way, Zod's condemnation along with his followers had been their salvation. They survived the destruction of their planet but that left them without a home and as an endangered species. Without a Genesis Chamber to spawn more of their kind, eventually they would die off. Even with their extended lives due to genetic engineering, death was inevitable for all of them.

Kara changed into her dark skin suit, the family crest of the House of El the only real standout feature. At times she just wanted to rip it off her clothing. It was supposed to stand for hope but what hope was left? Her uncle took away Krypton's hope when he stole the Codex. Betraying his own people, Jor-El sent it along with his infant son on a ship that was destined to who knows where. The look on his face that day when he first saw her, it looked like he had seen a whole different person. Perhaps he did.

* * *

_Kara and Commander Faora-Ul took up positions at the door to the Council Chambers, plasma carbines readied in their hands. Having caught them off-guard, the Sapphire Guard (The Council's Elite Guard) were easily disposed of. They had never imagined their enemy would be Krypton's own military. While the others readied themselves, Zod moved to the door and placed breaching charges. The General was taking point as he felt it was only appropriate that he be the first one those fools see. For years Kara and all the rest of the Sword of Rao had waited for this moment and now it was finally at hand._

_Years ago, Zod had grown more and more resentful of the Council and their decadent ways. He originally obtained his position as leader of Krypton's Warrior Caste not just due to his skill and valor but also his indifference to the politics. He would always follow his orders and never ask questions. But as time went on, Zod became more and more vocal about his objections to the Council's decisions. They always had their critics but never someone in charge of their own military. Banishing him in any way was out of the question as Zod had become a hero among the Warrior Caste and the Council feared alienating them. So he was sent off to the other side of the planet to deal with minor rebellions and insurrections to keep him occupied and more importantly silent. _

_But Zod used that time to gather good loyal soldiers to his cause. Kara was among the first to join him along with Faora. Others joined such as the massive Nam-Ek, the sadistic Tor-An, scientist Jax-Ur, and many others. Zod declared that they were the Sword of Rao and that they usher in a new dawn for Krypton with force if necessary. And when it became clear that it would, Zod cautiously and meticulously began assembling the pieces to launch a coup. He wanted more time but a dreadful piece of news came to everyone's attention. Jor-El reported that the recent seismic events around the planet were a sign that Krypton was going to explode. Harvesting energy from the core had damned them all. This forced Zod to launch his takeover early. They needed to seize power and save their world before it was too late. They were launched the coup ahead of schedule and that came with its own risks but waiting would be worse._

_Zod entered a command on the charges and stood ready. The detonation created a blast that forced the door open but left anyone close by unscathed. Kara marched alongside the General as they entered the Council Chambers. She felt a feeling she hadn't felt in years. As if she was finally doing something important, something that mattered to her entire people. The shocked guards inside reached for their weapons but were quickly picked off with blaster fire. "This council has been disbanded," announced Zod._

"_On whose authority?" demanded an outraged Ro-Zar, leader of the Council. Kara had never met the man but from what she had heard of him, that was probably a good thing. He was a stubborn old fool that religiously held onto the ways of the past. Zod answered his question with a blast from his rifle, killing the man with a shot to the chest. The rest of the councilors recoiled in horror, wisely remaining silent. Kara nearly gasped, relying on her training to suppress her horror. Zod always told her that sympathizing with enemy was not a trait that soldier should have and being considered the freak forced her to prove she was a soldier every time she went into battle._

"_My own," seethed Zod. The rest of the soldiers were unfazed by the violence but deep down it unnerved Kara. Killing the man was unnecessary. They were trying to save lives through this, not add to the bloodshed. Kara knew they would have to kill the Sapphire Guards but not unarmed civilians. "The rest of you will be tried and punished accordingly," Zod declared as Faora, Tor-An, and several others moved in to secure the councilors._

_That's when Kara finally realized who was also in the chambers. She knew that Uncle Jor was presenting another plea to evacuate the planet but Kara had hoped that the councilors would dismiss it quickly as they had before. She didn't want him caught up in this. "What are you doing Zod? This is madness," Jor-El snapped as he stepped towards his former friend and colleague._

"_What I should have done years ago. These lawmakers with their endless debates have led Krypton to ruin," Zod spoke, the answer more directed at the councilors who were all forced off their chairs and shoved to the floor. _

_Jor-El's eyes met Kara's but he didn't need to say a word to her to know he was shocked and disappointed. Kara suppressed whatever shame she felt as her uncle turned his attention back to Zod. "And if your forces prevail you'll be the leader of nothing," he said grimly._

"_Then join me," pleaded Zod, placing a hand on his former friend's shoulder. "Help me save our race. We'll start anew and severe the degenerative bloodlines that led us to this state."_

_Jor-El's eyes narrowed. "And who will decide which bloodlines survive Zod? You?" he challenged._

_Though he masked his emotions well, Kara could tell that Zod was not pleased by the answer. "Don't do this El. Your own niece has taken up arms with me," explained Zod, indicating Kara standing beside him._

"_Is this what you've become Kara? Is this what Zor would want you to be?" snapped Jor. The words stung but Kara refused to show it. After being insulted and mocked for so many times, she learned to mask her emotions from anything. And nothing stirred up her emotions more than mentioning her father._

"_Be reasonable Jor. The last thing I want is for us to become enemies El. Join me and save Krypton," Zod begged._

"_You've have abandoned the principles that bound us together. You've taken up the sword against your own people," Jor answered. "I will honor the memory of the man you once were. Not the monster you've become."_

_Zod's eyes went from pleading to dead cold. "Take him away," he ordered Tor-An and three others. They seized Jor-El by the arms and led him away._

_Kara watched them leave with concern. "Sir what are you doing to him?" she asked._

"_Relax Kara. I have no intention of killing him. Once our victory is assured he'll come around," assured Zod. Faora shoved a councilor towards an exit along with the rest of the council members. "Only one thing left to secure," he spoke to himself as he tapped the communicator on his wrist. "Commander Gor report in. Do you have the Codex?" static was Zod's only answer. "Commander Gor report," repeated Zod but still no answer._

_Gor's job was to lead a team to infiltrate the Genesis Chamber and take the Codex by force if necessary. Such a mission was beyond vital and Zod gave Gor some of his best men. If they had failed then the Chamber's defenses were far superior then believed. "Kara take a squad and reinforce Gor's men if they're still alive. The safety and acquisition of the Codex is your top priority. Bring it to me at all costs," ordered Zod._

* * *

"All staff report of the bridge immediately," came Faora's voice over the intercom, snapping Kara back to reality. It must be important if they were summoning the entire crew. After strapping on her Kryptonian Battle Armor, Kara made her way to the bridge. The Black Zero was massive and originally a prison barge but now it had become something more. After years of scavenging among the ruins of the various Kryptonian colonies, the ship was now merged with a World Engine and had underdone years of retrofits to make it capable of supporting the crew for centuries. Ironic how a prison barge that was used to keep criminals away from Krypton had become Krypton's last hope.

There were twelve survivors onboard the ship. General Dru-Zod was the one person who kept the crew going with his passion and charisma. No matter how hopeless their mission seems he always kept everyone driven and committed. Commander Faora-Ul was second in command and one of Zod's closest confidantes. The fact that she was so close to the General made working with her difficult at times. Kara always considered Zod to be a father figure after Zor-El died and had what could be considered a sibling rivalry with Faora. They loathed one another and yet they trusted each other to watch their backs.

Kara was next in line in rank as Subcommander. Her authority over the others hasn't been easy since she was still considered to be a freak among them, especially among the ones she went to school with such as Tor-An, Car-Vex, and Quex-Ul. The largest and strongest among the survivors was the silent Nan-Ek. He was rumored to be the result of genetic engineering to create the perfect soldier but Kara didn't know whether those rumors were true. Doctor Jax-Ur was the only scientist and medically trained individual onboard making him both the Science and Medical Officer. Dev-Em was born of High Councilor Lor-Em's house and yet his loyalty to Zod far outweighed any other loyalties he might have had. Aethyr-Zer and Az-Rel were the two most experienced pilots left alive and as such they divided their time among either helming the Black Zero or piloting one of the shuttles. The final member Tyr-Van was just a soldier who had the misfortune of being chosen by the Council to be punished with the rest of Zod's top followers. Others committed more serious crimes but he was picked among the normal soldiers to serve as an example. Kara might have empathized with him if he wasn't such an asshole.

When Kara entered the bridge, she found the other eleven crew members already waiting for her. "Glad you could join us Subcommander. Hope you didn't overslept," mocked Faora.

Kara was about to retort but Zod ended the verbal fight before it could begin. "Enough," he ordered. The two women calmed down. "We're all here now explain why Tor."

Tor-An activated a display screen which formed into a three dimensional representation of a planet with a series of pulses coming from its southern pole. "General we've picked up a signal coming from the third planet of a nearby solar system. It's Kryptonian," he answered.

Kara was just as shocked as the rest of the crew. After scavenging the various former colonies for years, they found no evidence that any other Kryptonians were still alive. The only exception was Jor-El's son Kal who was launched into space with the Codex. Something Kara could have stopped.

* * *

_Kara zoomed through the sky on her single rider speeder all the while Zod's forces clashed with the Council loyalists. Dozens of massive cruisers fired streaks of plasma while smaller drop ships strafed one another. Resistance was more intense than Zod predicted but the dice had been thrown. It was too late to turn back for Zod, Kara, or even Jor-El. Her uncle managed to break into the Genesis Chamber during the chaos of the fighting and steal the Codex. Such an act was beyond treason to jeopardize the only thing that can allow Kryptonians to continue their race but it didn't make sense. What could he possibly hope to gain by taking it? Was he trying to keep it away from Zod or the Council or even both? There was nowhere on this planet he could if he did._

_When her squad arrived at the Genesis Chamber and discovered what had happened, Kara knew exactly where Jor was going. In the chaos of the fighting, she broke off from the rest of her men and made a decision to go against everything Zod taught her. A soldier maintains discipline and to carry out their orders without hesitation or regret. She should have gotten onto a drop ship with the rest of her men and ordered them to the House of El's Citadel. But there were some loyalties that couldn't be broken in a person such as the one to your family. So Kara deserted her post to find her uncle and take the Codex from him before he got himself and possibly Aunt Lara killed as well. If Kara brought it back to Zod, he wouldn't retaliate against Jor-El or at least she hoped._

_As she exited the city and headed to the outskirts, the fighting diminished until she soared out into the wilderness and all was peaceful. Glancing underneath her feet, she saw genetically engineered Rondor beasts roaming the fields oblivious to the fighting amongst the Kryptonians. Almost all of Krypton's natural wildlife went extinct millennia ago and the planet was repopulated with genetically modified organisms to help re-invigorate the environment. But it was all for nothing if Uncle Jor was right. If this planet was in its final days then it was imperative that Zod gain the Codex and ensure that their species can continue on another planet._

_Once the Citadel was in sight, Kara readied her plasma carbine. She had no intention of harming her own family but she couldn't take the risk that they might try and stop her. The fate of their entire people was at stake and Kara could not let anyone get in her way. As she set down on the landing pad, she noticed a dead war-kite. Another genetically modified flying creature but she recognized it from her childhood when she used to ride on it with her father. Poor H'Raka had blaster burns on its body and was motionless as Kara knelt down and gently checked for a pulse. She had to hold back a tear when she felt none. Whatever sadness she felt quickly dissipated as she lifted up her rifle and advanced into the building. The entrance opened for her automatically, something that surprised Kara. Although the security systems were programmed to allow her access inside, Kara assumed that her aunt and uncle would have disabled her access after what happened in the Council Chambers. Clearly they hadn't had time to do that._

_The Citadel was completely silent as she made her way through it, moving as quickly as she could without recklessly charging into a potential ambush. The fact that there were no traps or security drones attempting to stop her which meant she probably wasn't expected. With such a massive building to search, Kara needed to narrow down where Jor-El was but thankfully the sound of wailing screams narrow it down. The cries of a newborn were coming from the observatory at the top level. Uncle Jor always did seem to enjoy stargazing but who was this infant they had? Did they finally decide to adopt a clone of their House to raise as their own child? That was the traditional way on Krypton._

_Rifle raised, she made her way up through the access stairway and could hear voices inside. "We have to say goodbye Lara!" shouted Jor._

"_No! Let me look at him!" screamed Lara. "We'll never get to see him walk. Never hear him say our names…"_

"_I know. But somewhere out there amongst the stars he will live," assured Jor._

_Kara was starting to get a bad feeling about all of this and hastened her pace. When she entered the room, she found her aunt and uncle underneath a small spacecraft where an infant child was being strapped into a cradle in what seemed to be part of the ship. Where they launching this baby into space? And if so why did they need the Codex? Kelox, a personal robot that had served the House of El for generations, turned towards Kara. "Welcome Kara Zor-El," it chimed. _

_Kara didn't need to see Lara and Jor's faces to know that they were stunned as she emerged from hiding. "Where is the Codex?" she demanded before suddenly blasted Kelox, knocking the machine to the ground. Lara screamed in shock but Jor maintained his calm. "Sorry Kelox but I can't let you try that blinding trick on me," spoke Kara. She turned her weapon on Jor. "Just give me the Codex and I'll leave. If the General has come here himself to find it I can't guarantee your safety."_

"_None of us are safe Kara. Our planet is on the verge of destruction. What you and Zod are doing is not just madness but pointless," said Jor._

"_Zod is trying to save Krypton. If bloodlines like those on the Council hadn't existed, none of the radical decisions that are destroying our planet would have happened," explained Kara._

_Jor took a step forward. "Are those your words or Zod's? Have you forgotten that Zod considered you a freak just like so many others? You are in that uniform not because of him but because of yourself and your father who believed in you." The words stunned Kara as she tried to maintain her calm. Zor-El was the one who told her she could do anything she wanted to and was the main reason she endured the insults and fights in the academy. The words also had the intended effect as Jor used the opportunity to rush forward and slam his forearm into Kara's face. Stunned, Jor ripped the rifle form Kara's hands and knocked her to the ground. Jor brought the butt of the rifle down on Kara's head and everything started losing consciousness. "I'm sorry about this Kara," was the last thing she heard before everything blacked out._

"_Heresy!" shouted a familiar voice as Kara regained consciousness. She opened her eyes and though hazy, she could make out Zod and two others staring down at Jor-El now dressed in Kryptonian Battle Armor and armed with Kara's own blaster rifle. Lara was at a control panel typing rapidly all the while seemingly ignoring what was transpiring around her. "Destroy him!" ordered Zod. Jor blasted both of Zod's men before they could react. Zod charged into Jor, the two fighting over the weapon until Zod managed to knock it out of his opponent's hands._

_Kara managed to get to her hands and knees and scrambled over to the dead soldiers. She picked up a rifle and aimed it at her general and uncle but wasn't completely sure what to do. She couldn't fire regardless since the two were constantly spinning and hitting one another. And even if they did stop moving, could she really shoot her own uncle? The fighting ended with Jor slamming Zod's head into the wall, knocking the general to the ground. But when Jor reached down to grab his rifle, Kara aimed and shot the weapon. The resulting blast knocked Jor off his feet but he was otherwise unharmed. With the situation now under control, she lowered her weapon to get to her feet._

"_Kara stop Lara! The Codex is onboard that shuttle!" shouted Zod who was still too dazed to stand up. _

_Kara trained her weapon on her own aunt. "Step away from the console," she ordered. There was an empty look in Lara's eyes as if she wasn't afraid, angry, or sad. She turned back to her console and continued working._

"_Shoot her!" ordered Zod. Kara fired a warning shot that breezed past Lara's head but didn't touch her. Lara was startled but still refused to step away._

"_Aunt Lara don't make me do this," pleaded Kara. Then an idea came to her and she turned her rifle towards the shuttle. A well placed shot could disable the ship without damaging the Codex._

"_No!" shouted Lara, finally stopping._

"_Kara don't! Our child is in there. Your own cousin. If you damage that shuttle you could kill him," pleaded Jor as he got to his feet._

"_What child and why are you sending the Codex with him?" demanded Kara._

"_He is Krypton's first natural birth in centuries. We gave him the Codex to start Krypton anew on another planet. He is our people's last hope," explained Jor._

"_Kara shoot it! That's an order Subcommander!" shouted Zod. Before he could scramble to his feet, Jor put him in a chokehold to restrain him. _

_Lara moved her hands towards the launch button and froze. Was she afraid that Kara might shoot her if she did or was she more afraid that Kara would shoot the shuttle? In the resulting few seconds, Kara wasn't sure what to do. What if Jor was right and this boy was Krypton's only real chance to start anew? Kara believed in Zod's cause but could it actually succeed? In the end, it was one simple reason why Kara couldn't take the shot. She couldn't kill an innocent child. She lowered her weapon and Lara pressed the launch button._

"_No!" Kara could hear Zod scream but her eyes were fixated on the shuttle as it launched through an opening in the ceiling and into the sky. The sound of a thud finally pulled Kara's eyes away from the craft as she turned to her Jor dropping to the floor. Zod stood over him, a bloody blade extended from his forearm gauntlet. Kara dropped her weapon and scrambled over to her uncle. She glanced up at Zod who had a grim and haunted look on his face. Kara immediately began applying pressure to her uncle's wound, trying to stop the bleeding. Lara rushed over to his side as well with tears in her eyes._

"_Thank…you…" Jor whispered to Kara before clenching his wife's hand and breathing his last. Tears swelled up in Kara's eyes. She killed him. She may not have pulled the trigger but she was an accomplice to everything Zod did and now her uncle was dead._

"_Your son Lara. Where have you sent him?" demanded Zod. Already his calm demeanor had returned despite killing someone he called a friend and brother years ago._

"_His name is Kal son of El and he is beyond your reach," Lara spoke with conviction in her words. Zod stormed off and after that time just seemed to slow down as Kara kept staring at her uncle's corpse. She didn't even take her eyes off him when the Sapphire Guards showed up to arrest her._

* * *

"Are we even sure it's Kal-El who's broadcasting the signal?" asked Jax-Ur as Kara finished reminiscing.

"It doesn't matter. This is the first sign we've had of any other surviving Kryptonians other than ourselves. Set a course to the planet immediately," ordered Zod. Aethyr and Az nodded and quickly began making the calculations for a Phantom jump.

"And if it is Jor-El's son? What do we do about him?" asked Faora.

Kara didn't like the Commander's tone. "You're talking like he's some kind of enemy. For all we know he could reaching out for any other survivors. Perhaps he wants to be found."

"I have no wish to spill anymore Kryptonian blood. Kal-El will be welcome among us if he is willing to join," said Zod.

"And if he isn't?" asked Faora.

"Should Kal-El resist then we'll cross that road when we come to it but the Codex is our first priority," said Zod. Kara didn't know to be grateful for this discovery or angry. Once again it seemed like she was going to be in a position where she would be forced to choose between her family and Zod. She prayed to Rao that this time there would be no bloodshed because she had a feeling it wouldn't be that easy. Experience taught her it never was.

(Long for a starting chapter but I couldn't find a good place to stop it. Hope you enjoyed and please review.)


	2. Chapter 2

(What are you talking about Eromancer? I thought I made it clear that Kara's DNA is different from the rest of Zod's soldiers. Anyway thanks for to all the reviews. They really do make a world of difference.)

_Kara stood in the Council chambers along with eleven other accomplices including Zod. Their wrists were cuffed together and shackled to their necks. Each of them stood on pads waiting to encase each of them in a sarcophagus. The rebellion was over and what could be laughably called their trail was over even quicker. The Council wanted them all gone and forgotten as quickly as possible. They all know the sentence, the rest of this was just a formality and the damn Council loved their formalities. Lara stood among the Council members. How she managed to avoid being punished along with them Kara didn't know. After all Jor-El stole the Codex and Lara helped launch it along with their natural born child into space. Such an act was treason but yet she stood there seemingly exempt from prosecution. Maybe her actions and those of Uncle Jor were all hushed up but Kara had spent the past few days in a holding cell and had no contact with the outside world._

"_General Zod. For the crimes of murder and high treason, the Council has sentenced you and your fellow insurgents to three hundred cycles of somatic reconditioning," announced Lor-Em, the new leader of the Council. Somatic reconditioning was supposed to alter the DNA to make the sentenced more amendable to society but it rarely produced a rehabilitated member of society. It was mostly used for Kryptonians to feel better that they didn't have to bloody their hands with capital punishment which was banned centuries ago. "Do you have any last words?"_

"_Krypton is dying and you respond by clinging to protocol," scoffed Zod. "The Phantom Zone isn't even a death sentence! Who will be left to release us when our __conditioning__ is finished?"_

"_We are here to discuss your punishment today Zod. Not your release," scowled Lor-Em._

_Zod suddenly rushed towards the Councilors. Two guards quickly moved into hold him back. Faora tried to move in and aid him but was quickly restrained as well. "You won't kill us but you'll damn us to a black hole for eternity so you won't sully your hands." He spat on the floor. "Jor-El was right. You're a pack of fools. Every last one of you!" Then Zod turned to Lara. "And you! You believe your son is safe. But I will find him Lara. I will reclaim what you have taken from us!"_

_The guards dragged the general back to his pad. "I will find him Lara! I WILL FIND HIM!" screamed Zod. Energy shields surrounded the condemned and preservative gel began filling each one. Kara could already feel the liquid cold on her legs, freezing every part of her body it moved up. Others screamed from the process but Kara refused to give in the pain. She glanced at Lara as the liquid filled up past her chest but her aunt didn't even look her in the eyes. As the gel creeped up her neck and Kara strained to breath, she noticed Lara finally looking at her. As the liquid covered her mouth and entered her nasal passages, Lara mouthed two words: __**Thank you.**__ Those were among the last thoughts Kara had before the gel completely encased her and her consciousness began to blacken out._

* * *

The Black Zero re-emerged into normal space behind the targeted planet's only moon. Here hopefully undetected they could gather information about the world and Kal-El's location first before revealing themselves. Kara doubted it would take long to find him. A quick analysis of the planet by Jax-Ur revealed high levels of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide. At these levels, it would have a substantial nourishing effect on a Kryptonian's body. Add to the high levels of radiation coming from the nearby star and gravity far weaker than Krypton's and any Kryptonian living there would godlike. Someone like that would stand up among the local indigenous population. The dominate species of the planet may have looked like Kryptonians but they were far weaker physically and also technologically. Kal would be a like a god to them. No wonder Uncle Jor sent him here.

"I've tapped into their global networking grid but I haven't found anything on Kal-El. Not a single mention of him dating back to the time he should have landed on this planet," said Dev-Em.

"There has to be something. Someone with his kind of strength and abilities would not have gone unnoticed," sighed Zod.

"Maybe the signal didn't come from him," said Tor-An.

"Or maybe he's in hiding," suggested Faora.

"Why would he hide? With his abilities he should be ruling over this world," frowned Aethyr.

"Unless he truly is like his father then he wouldn't feel he has the right to," added Kara. The crew glared at her in annoyance, mostly because they probably thought she was right.

"Keep checking. If we can't find him ourselves then we'll force him to come to us. Jax I want you to analyze the possible effects of this planet's atmosphere will have on us. I want to know if we can possibly benefit from it," said Zod. Kara wondered what the general meant by that. Hours passed by and everyone all waited impatiently. Half the crew was now searching the human records for any sign of Kal-El but not a single credible lead emerged from any of it. Why wouldn't Kal have revealed himself to these people? If he didn't want to rule over them then why not aide the humans openly assuming he considered them worth protecting at all?

Evidently Zod was out of patience. "Tor prepare the com to transmit on all frequencies. I want every single human on that planet to hear what I have to say. Aethyr move the ship into Earth's atmosphere. That should get some attention," he ordered.

"Sir what are you going to do?" asked Kara.

"If he's hiding on this planet then he must care about these humans in some way. I will use that love to force him out," answered Zod.

"Entering the planet's atmosphere…Multiple contacts responding…Unmanned satellites moving towards us," said Aethyr.

"Raise shields and ready weapons. I don't want to take any chances," commanded Zod. On the view screen, the satellites moved closer but seemed to also keep their distance to observe but not interact. They were clearly no threat. "Weapons stand down but keep the shields up just in case."

"Sir ready to broadcast on your order," reported Dev-Em. Zod gave a nod and Dev activated a high frequency signal that overtook every receiver on the planet. **"You are not alone. You are not alone. You are not alone,"** was repeated over and over again. That would certainly attract a lot of attention with the signal and the sudden arrival of a mysterious object in the sky.

Zod walked towards a console which repurposed itself into a pulpit. **"My name is General Zod. I come from Krypton, a world far from yours. I have journeyed across an ocean of stars to reach you. For some time your world has sheltered one of my citizens. I request that you return this individual to my custody. For reason unknown he has chosen to keep his existence a secret from you. He will have made efforts to blend in. He will look like you but he is not one of you. To those of you who may know his current location, the fate of your planet rests in your hands. To Kal-El I say this: Surrender within twenty-four hours or watch this world suffer the consequences."**

The transmission ended and no doubt the chaos on the planet began. "Now we wait," Zod added.

* * *

Kara was starting to regret volunteering to be an experiment as Jax finished fitting a new helmet onto her suit in the testing chamber. The planet's atmosphere along with solar radiation from the nearby star would have profound physical effects on a Kryptonian's body but they needed to find out the effects first hand. And the only way to do was for someone to actually breathe it in. Someone needed to do it and since Kara wanted to the one to retrieve Kal-El and the Codex, this was the best way to ensure it. Zod always favored those who took the initiative. A table filled with various testing materials stood off to the side.

"Your suit will allow you to soak up solar radiation naturally without any hindrance and your new helmet will allow you to regulate the amount of air molecules that filters through it. Since we don't know the exact effects this atmosphere will do to you, we'll start off with the lowest level and go from there. I've also outfitted your suit with a biosensor who we can monitor any physiological changes," explained Jax. He took a step back and a blast wall lowered from the ceiling to the floor, cutting the room in half and creating an isolation chamber. "Equalizing atmosphere levels with the planet's….and initializing level one."

Kara took a deep breath and instantly felt a sense of euphoria. She hadn't felt this good in years and she felt strong, really strong. "Initiating pressure test," Kara spoke as she picked up a small metallic ball and squeezed it, measuring her strength.

"_Your strength is now nearly ten times a normal Kryptonian,"_ reported Jax.

"I can also hear you better. I think my senses have increased as well," replied Kara.

"_Let's increase it to level two,"_ said Jax before Kara could taste more of the alien air in her helmet.

* * *

Zod entered the testing chamber as Jax-Ur was going over the test data. Judging from the scientist's face, the results must be good. In fact the man was so enthralled he didn't even hear Zod enter the room. Zod could understand his enthusiasm but they should always be alert for anything. "And how are things progressing?" the general asked, startling Jax.

"Oh general I'm sorry. I didn't hear you enter," Jax spoke, calming himself. He pointed to his console where a readout of Kara's physical structure was highlighted on a view screen. "The Subcommander's cellular and skeletal density increased exponentially without any adverse effects. Her strength has increased nearly fifty times and she claims her vision and hearing have improved as well," he explained.

"Impressive," commented Zod. He had wished he could have had these kinds of abilities back on Krypton. If he did, they would have won the war within a day. Zod's mistake of launching his insurrection too quickly had cost them victory and yet saved them from Krypton's fate. If Zod believed in any gods, he would say they had a strange sense of irony.

"_Let's speed this up. I'm going to take my helmet off,"_ Kara's voice chimed in over the com. Of course she would take such a risk.

* * *

"_Are you sure about that?"_ asked Jax. Kara answered that by tapping her helmet and disabling the energy shield surrounding her head. Whatever euphoria she felt before escalated tenfold as her lungs completely filled with the alien atmosphere. Then she twitched as the walls seemed to fade right before her eyes. She could see Jax in the other room and even Zod then the two turned into skeletons and then shapes of bright red light. The sound of the engine, machinery, footsteps as Kryptonians wandered the halls of the ship, all roared in Kara's ears. Everything was so bright and so loud, it was all too much. Screaming, she quickly tapped her helmet once more and its shield reactivated. Kryptonian air quickly replaced the alien air as Kara dropped to her knees, slowly regaining her senses.

The atmosphere was purged and the blast wall lifted as Zod calmly walked inside. "Are you alright?" he asked though he didn't seem concerned. Zod wouldn't be worried if everything was alright.

"Yes sir," answered Kara.

"What happened?" joined in Jax.

Kara tried to put everything she experienced into words. "It was like I could see everything. I could see through walls, flesh, bones, machinery, everything. I could see heat and cold as if they were visible to the naked eye. I could hear Nan-Ek's breathing, Faora strolling back and forth on the bridge, the heartbeats of everyone board this ship, all of it as if it was happening right inside my ear drum."

"Obviously your senses were enhanced far beyond your brain's ability to handle it all. Also during the few moments you removed your helmet, your entire biophysical structure was off the scale. I can't even imagine how strong and fast you were," theorized Jax.

"Can you configure our helmets to filter out light and sound without compromising this godlike strength and speed?" asked Zod.

"I believe I can," nodded Jax.

"Get on it immediately. I want a working helmet for everyone onboard," ordered Zod. Jax nodded and left to get to work. Zod turned his attention back to Kara. "How are you feeling Kara?"

"I told you sir I'm alright. I was a little disoriented before but now I'm fine," answered Kara.

"That's not what I meant. Back on Krypton, you disobeyed my orders to fire on your aunt. When I saw you aim at Kal-El's ship I was fine with that solution but you refused to fire on that as well," said Zod. Kara lowered her head, still ashamed over her actions. She spared Kal-El's life but in doing so lost the respect of her general and mentor. It took years for her to regain his trust. "I was angry at you for quite some time but I realized over the years that what happened was for the best. If we had stopped Kal-El's launch, the Codex would have been taken from us when we were arrested and been destroyed with Krypton. But while hindsight proved you right, it can never happen again. Your loyalty must be for the greater good of your people and you must never hesitate to do your duty ever again. Do you understand?"

"Yes sir," nodded Kara.

"You're a good soldier Kara. The rest of the crew sees you as a freak. They don't say it in my presence but I can see it in their eyes. Aside from yourself and Faora, they're all fools and grunts but they have their uses. When we create a new Krypton, people like you will be the ones who lead our people back to greatness," said Zod.

Kara didn't have a chance to respond. _"General Zod to the bridge,"_ announced Tor-An on the intercom.

* * *

"Report," Zod ordered as soon as he stepped onto the bridge with Kara at his side.

Tor-An was the first to respond. "We're receiving a transmission from someone who claims to represent something called the United States of America. He claims that Kal-El has surrendered to their custody and is awaiting extraction at a set of coordinates." He put a display of the planet with a pulsing point to indicate the extraction site.

Dev-Em was next to speak. "We've scanned the area and it appears to be isolated from any major population district. Probably a military base of some kind. We've detected multiple machines and vehicles on station and they appear to in a holding pattern."

"Could this be a trap?" asked Faora.

"Anything's possible Commander but from what I've been able to skim off their networks, the humans don't seem interested in starting a conflict with us," reported Quex-Ul.

"Faora take a shuttle to the planet and bring Kal-El back unharmed. Az-Rel you're flying," commanded Zod.

Kara was not happy about that. "Sir with all due respect I should be going down as well," she protested.

"Not now Kara. I need you here," Zod said in a tone that meant this wasn't up for debate.

Faora and Az were about to leave when Quex spoke up. "There's one more thing you should know sir. The humans found out about Kal-El from a human they believed discovered his identity and befriended. A female named Lois Lane." He brought up a picture of the human.

"Befriended? Please tell me he hasn't mated with one of those humans," groaned a disgusted Aethyr.

"Well done Quex. This could be important. Bring back this Lois Lane as well. Having a hostage should keep him in line should we need to," said Zod. Faora and Az finally left and Zod began to notice Kara's uneasiness. Though born considered genetically flawed, she had always proven to be a great soldier and her loyalty was unquestionable until Kal-El's escape. She felt empathy for those who did not deserve it but yet she had always suppressed such unwanted feelings during battle. Yet in a way she was prove of what the future required. They needed to integrate the best bloodlines together into all future Kryptonian leaders.

"You disagree with my decision?" Zod asked her in private.

"No sir. Tactically you've made all the right decisions," answered Kara.

"But?" frowned Zod.

"Sir perhaps it would be best to leave the human alone. If we're going to build trust, we need to show him we mean him no harm and holding someone he possibly considers to be a friend won't help," said Kara.

"That's why I'm giving the responsibility to you. When Kal-El arrives, I want you to gain his trust and turn him to our side," said Zod.

"Why me sir? In eyes of my family and my house I betrayed them when I joined you," protested Kara.

"Kal-El doesn't know that and even if he does, he's been alone on this planet for his entire life. Hearing he has at least one surviving family member hopefully will overwhelm whatever trust issues he has with us," replied Zod.

"Of course. Yes sir," sighed Kara. She didn't seem too enthusiastic about her assignment but she would do her duty. "I should go gather some personal belongings to show him once he arrives. Perhaps a few memorabilia would help."

Kara left the bridge as Jax entered with a datapad. "General I finished outfitting the helmets. It was easy enough and Faora and Az are already suited up," he reported.

"Good," replied Zod who was about to walk away.

"General there's something else. I've finished doing a complete scan of the planet and I think you should see the results for yourself," Jax said before handing out his datapad.

Zod skimmed through it and saw the usual readings. Atmospheric composition, geological elements, temperature and weather conditions. But as Zod continued reading, he realized what his scientist was so interested in. By itself any one of these readings was irrelevant but taken together they showed a world that truly perfect for Kryptonians to settle on. Add the nurturing radiation provided by the local star and you have the best prospect for terraforming. No wonder Jor-El sent his son here. This was world was perfect for them to start anew and with the codex they could do just that.

"I want a complete terraforming assessment as soon as possible," smiled Zod. He walked to the edge of the massive window where the planet loomed off into the distance. "My brothers and sisters!" he called out getting everyone's attention. "Our struggles and sacrifices have all been worth it. Jax-Ur tells me this world is perfect for us. Our journey is at an end. We've have finally found a new home not just for us but for every future generations of Kryptonians. Welcome to New Krypton!" he shouted ecstatically.

(Kind of a transitional chapter but necessary to set everything up. Please review if you would be so kind.)


	3. Chapter 3

(To Nerdman3000: I do plan on expanding this story beyond the movie. I have a few ideas on how to introduce the likes of Lex Luther, Brainiac, and a certain individual who will be debuting in this chapter. Hope you all like it.)

"**Higher dad!"** squealed Kara on a small liquid crystal display. Of all the personal belongings that was put onboard the Black Zero for storage during her imprisonment, this was her favorite. It was recording of the day she first rode with her father on H'Raka. Kara must have been five years old at the time. So young and naïve, she thought she was going to change the world. Become the first General of Krypton from the House of El had been her life's goal even as far back as that. H'Raka flew the two Kryptonians around the wildlife plains around the Citadel and Kara had never been so happy in her life. When they got back, Mother was not thrilled when Kara wanted to know when she could ride the creature by herself. It didn't help when Father and Uncle Jor both joked about her being a natural and should take up flying lessons.

"_All hands be aware that Faora is docking at this very moment and has returned with Kal-El and the human. Nan, Tyr, and Aethyr report to the docking bay immediately. Everyone else to the bridge. Kal-El will no doubt be different from the rest of us but remember his blood is that of Krypton,"_ came Zod's voice over the intercom. Kara strolled out of her room, nervous but excited at the same time. After so many years of searching, she had finally found the last of her family. The crew may be her brothers-in-arms but they were not of her bloodline. She wondered what he would look like. Would he bear a striking resemblance to his father? Or perhaps he would look more like Aunt Lara.

Her mind froze as she passed by the one containment cell still active. After so many cycles onboard this ship, this one place could still chill her bones. The occupant hadn't been unfrozen like the rest of them. Thank Rao he hadn't or everyone might not be alive today. Why Zod hadn't ejected the pod into space, Kara would never know. She knew he didn't want to waste potential resources but this wasn't a resource or even a soldier. Terrax was a monster.

Terrax was Zor-El's greatest achievement and his greatest mistake. A genetically enhanced soldier unlike any other and his skill and valor were unrivaled among any of the warrior caste. During the years of service, he was considered to be the greatest soldier who ever lived and was considered un-killable. He had been rumored to have been shot, stabbed, burned, had his neck snapped, and yet he would not die. During the campaign against the rebelling cities on Krypton's northern pole, Terrax single handedly stormed an enemy bunker filled with at least a hundred soldiers and within an hour was the only thing left alive inside. Among the enemy, they had another name for him. Doomsday. Apparently Terrax liked the name and even had the symbol of Doomsday adapted as his own personal sigil. Maybe that should have been the first warning. Over the years Terrax became more aggressive and volatile. His body had changed along with his sanity and eventually he was locked away into a facility until his animalistic nature could be cured. In hindsight, they should have just killed him.

* * *

_The eerie silence of the hallway was Kara's first sign that something was wrong. She was in the Tower of Rao, the capitol building of Krypton and yet she hadn't seen any guards patrolling the area. Security should have been heavy with the Council in session. Zor-El had been summoned for questioning concerning Terrax and his de-evolution. Those ungrateful pampered old men showered Kara's father with praise when Terrax had first emerged from a test tube and were just as quick now to condemn him. The meeting was called so quickly that Kara barely had time to finish her duties on the Academy grounds before entering the tower on her off-time. She had no doubt she was late and yet that seemed the least of her problems at the moment._

_A nearby security checkpoint was empty. No guards, no security drones, nothing. There wasn't a scheduled shift change for another four hours and even if there was, that wouldn't excuse abandoning a checkpoint completely. "Hello?" Kara called out but no one answered. Her instincts began to kick in, thoughts of what could be happening flashed inside her head. Was it an attack of some kind? It was the only logical assumption. She checked around and finally confirmed her suspicions when she opened a supply closet where two dead guards and three destroyed security drones lay on the floor. The guards had their necks snapped, their heads nearly ripped off. The security drones were smashed by a blunt force instrument, no sign of any energy weapons fire._

_There was only one person who came to mind that could cause something like this but it was impossible. Terrax was locked up in a secured facility but yet the bodies said otherwise. Kara grabbed a rifle lying on the floor and dashed to the guard station to hit the alarm button. Klaxons and red lights went off afterwards as she rushed towards the Council chambers to find her father. She nearly tripped over more bodies on her way there, hacked and slashed. She burst into the chambers to find a massacre. The Sapphire Guards were already dead along three council members. Terrax stood in the center of the room with blade protruding from his forearm guards and holding Zor-El up in the air by the throat. Kara fired two shots into his back but that didn't even seem to make him flinch. Terrax turned his head, his red eyes glaring at her. Then he turned back to Zor-El and shoved one of his blades right through his heart. Kara's screams filled the chamber._

* * *

Kara didn't realize how long she had been staring at the pod but she had clenched the holo recorder so hard that it cracked. One of these days she was going to disregard Zod's orders and launch the pod into the vacuum of space. Or better yet into a black hole where the gravity would rip it apart at the atomic level. That would at least make sure he doesn't plague anyone else in this universe again. She spit on the pod and then continued towards the bridge.

When Kara arrived, Zod was already greeting two new arrivals. Lois Lane was recognizable with her light brown hair. She wore alien clothing and a Kryptonian shield helmet. It was doubtful the human could breathe in a Kryptonian environment. The other was a dark-haired male dressed in a blue skin suit with a red cape and the House of El symbol blazoned in red on his chest. He had the hair of his mother and his face had the characteristics of his father. There was no doubt in Kara's mind that he was Kal-El. "I take it you're Zod?" he asked.

"General Zod!" hissed Faora.

"It's alright Faora," Zod calmed her down. "Kal-El is a stranger to our ways. This moment should be a cause for celebration not conflict."

Before Kara had a chance to say anything, Kal groaned, struggling to stay on his feet. "…feel…weak." he moaned before dropping to his knees. Kara was about to rush to his aide but Zod held up his hand, telling her to stay back. The human didn't.

"What's happening to him?" shouted Lois.

"His body is rejecting our ship's atmospherics," answered Zod. He watched Jor-El's son with a calm gaze that Kara wished she could emulate. Watching a member of her own family, the last surviving member of her family, suffering was not something she could so easily stand by and watch. "You spent a lifetime adapting to Earth's ecology Kal but you never adapted to ours." Kal struggled to get up, wheezing as his strength gave out and he slumped on the floor unconscious.

"Clark!" Lois shouted, shaking him. Clark was what she called him. Kara had been wondering how Kal-El had lived among the humans. Who raised him? What did they call him? Did he feel alone? Did he even know about his homeworld and his own people? Did he even know about his own family?

"Nan take him to medical. Jax prepare the mind probes. We'll be able to extract information from him easier while he's in this state," ordered Zod. The massive Nan shoved Lois aside and lifted Kal with no effort onto his shoulders. "Kara escort the human to medical. I want her scanned as well."

Kara grabbed Lois by the arm and lifted her to her feet. "Don't you touch me!" she snapped, trying to pull away.

"Look around you human and tell me what struggling against me will accomplish?" challenged Kara. Lois didn't offer a retort and Kara took that a sign of accepting her situation.

* * *

An unconscious Kal was already being hooked up for a mind scan by the time Kara had brought Lois into the medical station. He was bound with metal restraints on an examination table while Jax placed an eye piece over his right retina. Nan stood guard nearby, silent as always. Though the scan was painless for Kryptonians, Kara didn't know if the same could be said for a human. "Sit," she ordered Lois, pointing to a metallic table.

The human apparently decided arguing wasn't going to accomplish anything and did as she was told. Instantly metallic restraints wrapped around her wrists, ankles, and waist. "What the hell?" snapped Lois who was losing her calm demeanor. Kara could empathize with how she felt. She was alone in a situation that she really shouldn't be involved in. Lois didn't deserve to get caught up in all of this.

"Is the scan harmful to humans?" Kara asked Jax.

"I suppose we'll find out," Jax answered without even looking at her.

Kara grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to face her. "Answer my question," she ordered.

Jax suppressed a hint of anger as he answered, "No. The human will be fine."

Kara shoved him back into the wall, a little reminder that she was not only his superior officer but a superior soldier. "Look me in the eye when I ask you question and don't disrespect me again," warned Kara as she walked back to Lois. Only Rao knows how many times she needed to do this. It was always the same. One of the crew members would openly disrespect her and she would put them in their place, usually by a show of force. Nan smirked, amused.

The human was quiet, examining her surroundings carefully. Her eyes rested on Kara's armor. "That symbol you're wearing. Why is it the same as Clark's?" she asked.

Kara had no real incentive to answer but she did it anyway. "I was born of the House of El. The same bloodline as Kal."

"That makes you what? Family?" Lois asked.

"In a manner of speaking. Kal was the only one of our people that was naturally born. The rest of us including myself were grown, genetically engineered to fulfill a specific task. Leader, soldier, worker, all steaming from various bloodlines that were considered worthy of preserving. Kal and I share the same bloodline which makes us cousins in a sense," answered Kara.

"Are you done mingling with the native?" sighed Jax.

Before Kara could respond, Zod entered the room. "Have you located the Codex?"

Jax shook his head. "His mind is incredibly resistant to the process. I haven't found anything on the Codex in his memories."

"Maybe he didn't even know it was on his ship," suggested Kara.

"There is some good news. The colony ship Kal used to bring us is here is actually in working condition. A real working Genesis Chamber," said Jax. That is probably the best news Kara had heard in a long time. For years the only ones they found on the old colonies and outposts were destroyed and beyond repair. Without a working one, having a World Engine or even the Codex was useless. And once they secure the ship and the Codex, Krypton would live again.

"Scan the human for anything useful and get her out of here. I want to speak with Kal-El alone," ordered Zod.

Kara grabbed a nearby eye piece and held Lois's forehead as she placed it over the human's right eye. "Try to relax and keep your right eye open. Otherwise you'll just slow the whole thing down," she said.

"You know you could just ask me a question the whole fashion way," Lois glared at her captor. Kara activated the scan and a thin beam of light shined into Lois's eye. To the human's credit, she didn't even wince. The scan was over within seconds. "What that's it?" questioned Lois as Kara removed the eye piece.

"Did you want the process to be long and painful?"" Kara replied as she undid the restraints and led her out of the room. All the while Zod ignored them, eyes glued to Jor-El's son.

"You know for claiming to be family you sure have a strange way of showing it. Threatening the entire planet he calls home and all the people he cares about," Lois grumbled as Kara led her through the hallways.

"Kal isn't one of you. He belongs with us," snapped Kara. Her prisoner's ranting was starting to annoy her.

"Not from what Clark told me. He knows your friend Zod was a rebel and he lost the war. That would make all you people criminals," countered Lois.

"Zod fought to save his people and for his efforts he was imprisoned along with the rest of us in the Phantom Zone," responded Kara.

* * *

_Kara's dropped to the cold floor, gasping for air. _**"System Failure. Emergency release protocols initiated. Please remain calm and near your cells. Emergency technicians have been notified,"**_ boomed over the loudspeaker. Her blurry vision started to clear as she realized her arms were no longer restrained and more important she was no longer encased in a stasis pod. Her muscles were stiff and sore, Rao only knows how long it's been since her imprisonment. Kara raised her head to notice a pile of scraped security drones lying right in front of her. A single man in a dark uniform stood off near the massive window at the end of the room. Her vision wasn't clear enough to make out what he was looking at._

"_This is all your fault. You and your damned rebels needed a living breathing being operating your prison at all times. It was only supposed to be a three week assignment before I was rotated out," he said seemingly on the verge of tears. "NOW'S IT ALL GONE!" He stepped off to the side and Kara finally saw what he was talking about. A massive debris field of planetary rubble rested in the foreground, it's green glow lighting up the room. She didn't need to be told what it was. Kara already knew. Her uncle warned that this would happen but the Council wouldn't listen and now the origins of the great Kryptonian people, the seat of their space empire, and their home since the dawn of their civilization was gone._

_Beside her, other pods were beginning to open and release their contents. "I should have been here then I would have died with my family. But because of you people I was forced to see this and now I want you all to suffer just like me. The ship's supplies are limited and may last you a week at best. I also took the liberty of disposing of all the firearms on this ship except for the one I'm holding and it only carries enough charge for one more shot. The rest of you will starve to death but for me this is all over," the jailer said before putting a pistol to his head and pulled the trigger._

* * *

"Except we didn't starve. We managed to modify the Phantom Drive on this ship and turn into a hyperdrive capable of FTL travel. We searched the old colonies and outposts but they were nothing but tombs. We wondered the cosmos for years, scavenging what we could and hoping to start our people anew until we detected a distress beacon coming from this planet," explained Kara.

"The ship," realized Lois as they rounded a corner, only for Kara to groan as they were passing by Terrax's pod. "Who is that?" the human asked.

"The real reason this prison ship was built in the first place," Kara muttered. Thankfully the jailor who released them all didn't release Terrax as well. Kara doubted they would have all survived very long with him on the loose. They came to a halt in front of a large storage room the crew used as a brig. Kara worked a console to alter the atmosphere inside the room to match Earth's and opened the blast door. "Get in," she ordered.

"What are you planning on doing with me?" inquired Lois as she stepped inside.

"Hopefully nothing," answered Kara.

"That's very reassuring," mocked Lois.

Kara grabbed the human's helmet and pulled it off. "You won't need this anymore. The room's atmosphere has been modified to your planet's," she said before closing the door behind her. The human was certainly belligerent, maybe that was considered to be the norm on her world. The fact that she had shown no signs of fear the entire time on this ship was impressive. It's a shame this Lois Lane wasn't born a Kryptonian soldier, she would probably have been a good one.

She returned to the medical room where Zod was just leaving. "You can speak to him. I've already told him about you," he said.

"Did you tell him what happened to Jor-El?" asked Kara.

"Yes," sighed Zod before taking his leave.

This was not going to be the happy family reunion Kara had hoped for. She doubted Kal was going to be very receptive now. If you just found out you have a cousin and she was a follower of your father's murderer, would you be happy to see her? She stepped inside the room where Jax was drawing blood from Kal's arm. "You're wasting your efforts. The strength you derive from your exposure to Earth's sun is neutralized aboard our ship," mocked Jax.

"Leave me with him," Kara ordered. The scientist glared at her, not happy with the command. "If I have to give you that order again it'll be after I give you a broken arm," she warned. Jax decided not to test her words and quickly left. Now Kara was finally alone with him. All these years she had planned on what to say to him but whatever she had thought up over the years just seemed to slip from her mind. Kal glared at her with condemning eyes, it was easy to figure out how he felt about her regardless of any blood ties they shared.

"Where's Lois?" demanded Kal.

"She's fine. Do you know who I am?" Kara replied as she set Lois's helmet down on a nearby table.

"I know enough. You wear my father's symbol and yet you sided with his murderer," accused Kal.

"It's not that simple Kal. Jor-El was stealing the most important component of our society and planned on sending it beyond our reach. It was a complicated situation that got out of hand," protested Kara.

"Out of hand? That's what you call the death of my father?!" snapped Kal.

"You think that's what I wanted?" shot back Kara. "I loved Jor-El like a second father but stealing the Codex was treason."

"Treason to whom? Zod? The man rebels against his own people, causes a civil war and anarchy, kills the man you claim to love like a second father, and you have the nerve to defend him?" spat Kal. Kara was starting to wonder where he got all this so called information from. She doubted Zod or anyone else onboard would have told him about what happened. "Ya know I found that fanatics always find ways to justify everything that they do and their followers will always find some excuse for them."

Kara clenched her fists. "Don't you dare judge me. You know nothing about me and what I had to sacrifice. If it weren't for me you wouldn't even alive," she snapped. That finally silenced her cousin. "I managed to track your father down to our family's ancestral home. I hoped to take the Codex back without bloodshed before the General arrived to take it by force. I underestimated your father's resolve and he managed to knock me unconscious. When I awoke Zod and Jor were fighting and I managed to retrieve a weapon and disarm your father. Your mother had been preparing to launch you and the Codex into space the whole time and Zod ordered me to shoot her. I couldn't do it so I aimed my weapon at your ship. Your parents begged me not to shoot all the while Zod and Jor struggled with each other. But I couldn't pull the trigger."

"Why?" asked Kal.

"Because you were an innocent child. More than that you were my family. Your mother launched you into space and Zod drew a blade and stabbed your father trying to stop it. He died in my arms as I tried to tend to his wounds."

"How do I even know you're telling the truth?" frowned her cousin.

"Just watch this," Kara told him before pulling out the holo projector. The liquid crystal display formed into H'Raka with Kara and Zor on his back.

* * *

"_Higher daddy!" laughed a young Kara on her father's lap. She had never felt so happy or excited in her entire life. There was something incredible about feeling the wind blow through her hair, the ground thousands of feet below you, and nothing but the clouds above you. H'Raka earlier had flown them above the cloud line until only the red sun Rao was above them. It was a feeling unlike anything else, a sense of liberation and freedom that almost couldn't be put into words._

"_Maybe later sweetheart. Your uncle was expecting us back about ten minutes ago," chuckled Zor. H'Raka stretched out his wings and glided downwards towards the large Citadel of El. Kara was saddened by the end of her ride but there were be more in the future. It was after spending an hour on H'Raka's back that Kara realized that if there was one abnormal ability she could have, it would be the ability to fly. There was nothing that could compare to it. They came in a slow approach to the landing pad and gently touched down. Alura, Uncle Jor, and Aunt Lara all stood there waiting for them. While mom wasn't very pleased, Jor and Lara had smiles on their faces._

"_I swear she was born half war-kite," laughed Zor as he dismounted with his daughter._

"_She's a natural," agreed Uncle Jor. Alura glared at him and he innocently held up his hands. "That's just my opinion anyways," he added._

"_When came I ride her again?" asked Kara as she pet H'Raka's head._

"_Kara let's get inside. You need to fix your hair before our guests arrive," ordered Alura. Kara ran her hands through her hair and realized it was a complete mess. Flying at incredible speeds would do that._

"_Ah she looks perfect just the way she is Alura," chuckled Zor. _

_Alura punched him in the arm teasingly. "I guess it was too much to hope that she was scared of heights," she sighed._

"_Face it darling. Our daughter was born for this," smiled Zor._

* * *

Kara felt a slight tingle in the back of her throat. Something tasted wrong about the air and yet it felt familiar. Then she heard a thumping sound, constantly repeating itself and yet she hadn't noticed it until now. It seemed to be coming from Kal-El whose body was seemingly starting to alter itself. By the time Kara realized what was going on, it was already too late. The thump was Kal's heartbeat and the alteration was just her perception of him. She was starting to see right through his skin, organs, muscles, skeletal structure, everything. Within seconds, more sights and sounds bombarded Kara's senses. The inner workings of the ship, the sounds of boots running down a hallway, it was so much to handle that she could barely focus or concentrate.

Kara shut her eyes and covered her ears as she realized what was happening. Somehow the ship's atmosphere had altered to that of Earth's. Another sound caused to her cringe as she opened her eyes to see Kal ripping through his restraints like paper. He glanced at her for a moment. "WHERE'S LOIS?" he demanded but didn't shout. Although to Kara, he might as well have set off a bomb in her ears. She tried to cover her ears better but it just wasn't working. Kara dropped to the ground groaning in pain. Kal seemed confused, unsure of what to do. Then he dashed towards the door, ramming through the metal. Kara screamed as she endured the sound of her cousin's escape as if it was magnified a thousand times over.

Wishing to an end for it all, that's she remembered the helmet. She opened her eyes and tried to focus on the table she put it on through it was hard to make out. One moment she was seeing the inside of the room, at other times she could see the stars and darkness of space outside of the ship. Having no choice but to unmask her ears, she got to her feet and scrambled to grab her helmet. It was almost impossible to think with everything she was hearing. Thankfully, Kara managed to grab the item before losing her balance and hitting the floor once again. She shoved it into her head and within seconds, a force shield surrounded her skull. Almost instantly, the torturous sights and sounds vanished.

Getting to her feet, Kara rushed outside hoping to catch up with Kal. She wasn't completely sure what in Rao's name was going on but she knew she had to stop him before this got any worse. Zod could decide that Jor-El was too big a threat to keep alive and Kara refused to believe everything she endured after her cousin's launch was for nothing. She had failed Jor-El to retrieve the codex before Zod arrived, she had failed her general and mentor when she allowed the Codex to escape with her cousin, and she had failed her people during her imprisonment in the Phantom Zone while her planet was destroyed. She had failed so many times even before then. Failing to save her father from Terrax and to be there for her mother during her time of grief. So many mistakes but not this time. This time she was not going to fail.

Klaxons blared all around her as she searched for Kal. She wished she could remove her helmet and use the enhanced vision the Earth's atmosphere seemed to grant her but that would only make things worse. "Hello Kara," said a familiar voice behind her. The sound nearly took her breath away as she realized who it was but it was impossible. She had force herself to turn around to her eyes to finally believe her ears. Though impossible as it was, there standing before her was Jor-El.

(To clear up any confusion, Terrax is Doomsday. I decided to give him a different origin that matched the movie universe better. Please drop in a review or two.)


	4. Chapter 4

The spitting image of Jor-El stood before her and yet Kara refused to believe her eyes and ears. She reached out to touch him and her hand passed right through. Kara shouldn't have been surprised. What was she expecting? That her uncle returned from the grave to speak to her? It was just a damn hologram and the fact that it look like Jor only made her more infuriated. She turned to walk away but the hologram appeared in front of her again. "Kara wait," it protested but she walked right through, ignoring every word.

Kara wasn't sure how some AI got onto the ship but that was the only explanation for what was going on. There were no advanced AIs onboard the Black Zero when they took control and Zod never had one designed. He always preferred a flesh and blood operative controlling the systems then a computer program. A blast door closed in front of her, stopping her in tracks. Under any other circumstances this would be a problem but not this time. The AI's plan of flooding the ship with Earth's atmosphere allowed Kal to break free and momentarily stun the crew with the sudden and overwhelming enhance senses. But it did have a major flaw. It allowed the crew to have the same strength, speed, and powers as Kal. Assuming they had a helmet on to suppress their advanced senses.

Kara reached down and dug her fingers into the door, using her now godly strength to lift the door up and continue her search. "Kara you need to listen to me," another hologram spoke as she passed by it. She ignored the AI as she decided to try something different. Without her helmet, she was able to see the entire electromagnetic spectrum flash before her eyes. Perhaps with a little concentration, Kara could use alter her vision to find her cousin. Focusing, walls turned transparent as her eyes adapted to this new kind of vision. It was hard to stop from seeing through the entire ship but Kara quickly got the hang of it and managed to scan each level and room one by one. A single skeletal figure was ripping through a door in a parallel hallway. Clark was searching for Lois but he wasn't heading in the right direction towards her cell. He had the same enhanced senses as Kara, in fact his senses should be better after handling for so many years on Earth. Unless she wasn't there anymore, the AI releasing her was certainly a possibility.

"Please stop and just listen," pleaded the hologram.

"SHUT UP!" she screamed, finally deciding to address the construct. Kara refused to call it anything else. It may have taken the appearance of her uncle but the real man died. Seeing anything taking his face only poured salt on old wounds Kara never healed from.

"Zod is going to kill every living thing on Earth," it quickly blurted out.

That forced Kara to hear it out. "What are you talking about?" she demanded.

"This ship is running terraforming calculations as we speak. As soon as Zod gets his hands on the Codex he'll activate the World Engine," said the hologram.

"You're lying. If he really was going to, he would have told me. I'm his third in command," snapped Kara, not believing a word of it. Zod was capable of many things, some of them cruel and terrible but only if it was for the greater good of his people. But he also trusted Kara and wouldn't do something so rash without at least consulting her.

"Perhaps he doesn't trust you as well as you think," countered the AI.

"And what do you know of trust? You're a damn computer program!" shouted Kara. Fed up with this conversation, she adjusted her vision once more and found her cousin breaking through a wall into a large cargo bay.

Readying herself with her newfound strength Kara rushed through a wall, breaking through the metal framework and tackled her surprised cousin through a series of massive crates and machinery. "That's enough! You are coming back with me to the medical room if I have to drag your unconscious body," she warned him, holding him down. Kal's eyes glowed red and suddenly, twin beams of energy sent Kara flying into the ceiling. She bounced off and crash on top of a crate, smashing it into pieces. "Tough love it is then," Kara groaned as she got to her feet.

Kal rushed towards her with inhuman speed but Kara was prepared. She dropped and spun her leg around, knocking her cousin to the floor face first. She climbed on top of him and put him in a chokehold. Kal struggled to pull her off then leaped up, slamming Kara into the ceiling on his back. It hurt but she refused to let go. He leaped backwards, slamming her into the wall. It left a massive dent and caused Kara to finally loosen her grip. Kal forced her arms off his neck and hurled her through a small loading crane. The machine broke in half but Kara's body was unharmed. Kal rushed her again but Kara leapt over him and landed next to a large crate. No normal Kryptonian could lift something so large by hand but that was before they arrived on Earth. Kara picked it up effortlessly and tossed it at her cousin. The crate knocked Kal off his feet and crushed him into a nearby wall. He recovered and shoved the crate back at Kara who easily leapt over it.

The two remaining members of the House of El stared at one another. The whole room was in shambles but finally had a moment of respite as Kara and Kal waited for the other to make the next move. "So that's why you need your helmets. You get it all and can't handle it," said Kal, understanding it all for the first time.

Kara had no intention of letting him exploit that weakness and decided it was time to put Lois to good use. "What exactly do you hope to accomplish with any of this? It won't take long for my crew to purge that AI and retake control of the ship. They will return the atmosphere to normal and you'll be as helpless as any human and you don't have any weapons on you. Furthermore you are also endangering Lois's life," she pointed out.

Kal's face froze with concern. "What are you saying?" That all but confirmed it. He actually had feelings for that human and Kara intended to exploit it to end all of this.

"Why do you think the General wanted her brought onboard in the first place? It was in case you pulled a stunt like this. Now if you don't come with me I can't guarantee her safety," replied Kara. Kal stood for a moment, pondering his decision. Once he was back in custody and the ship was restored, Kara would arrange to have Lois brought to him. At the very least, it might stop Kal from doing something this stupid again.

Then the last thing that Kara wanted appeared. That damned AI in Uncle Jor's image shimmered right in-between the two Kryptonians. "I'm sorry about this Kara but you give me no choice," it spoke. Kara didn't understand what it was talking about until a metallic loading arm dropped from the ceiling and grabbed her around the waist. The device was normally used to lift very heavy machinery such as shuttles which made it much more difficult to struggle against. "Kal go! Lois is three levels above you and being pursued," warned the hologram.

Nodding, Kal fired energy beams from his eyes and cut his way through the roof. Digging into the arm with her fingers, Kara slowly forced it open until finally ripping it in half. "Damn you! Zod will have him killed if he doesn't stop!" she screamed, throwing the pieces at the holographic construct.

"Then help him Kara. Is this the kind of soldier Zor-El wanted you to become?" the hologram replied.

"Don't you dare say his name!" snapped Kara. She rushed forward then suddenly remembered she was about to hit a hologram. It was distracting her the best way possible. Get her riled up and pissed at it while Kal escapes. A smart move, perhaps there was something of Jor-El in the AI after all.

"My son is not your enemy. I hope for this planet's sake you soon understand who your real enemy is," the AI added before disappearing. Not wasting any more time, Kara jumped up through the Kal made in pursuit.

* * *

Clark had melted his way through the three floors but now found himself having difficulty finding Lois. He tried to use his X-Ray vision but had difficult telling who was who. Kryptonian and Human skeletons looked exactly the same. Doors closed around, corralling him towards a specific direction. He didn't know if that was Jor-El's doing or the crew's. A hologram of his father appeared beside him, apparently indicating the former.

"Why didn't you tell me about her? Why didn't you tell me about this Codex they keep talking about?" Clark demanded.

"Kal we don't have much time so I'll make this brief. Your mother and I wanted you to live the humans so that when the day came, you could build a bridge between our two races. We wanted you to continue our people but not at the human's expense as Zod would," explained Jor.

"And Kara? Is she really family?" asked Clark.

"Yes. Born of the same bloodline as you and I. She was born to be a warrior Kal but something happened during her gestation process which mixed various genetic templates together," answered Jor.

Clark frowned, "And what does that mean?"

"It means she had the characteristics of all Kryptonian castes. Warrior, Scientist, Worker, Leader. Kara was proof that there was a better way than Krypton's caste system. It was because of her that I created you," answered Jor. A new klaxon went off and the lights dimmed for a moment. "They're restarting the main systems. I'll only be able to maintain control for another few minutes. Three soldiers are approaching you from the front hallway and Kara is coming up behind you. I've blocked their paths but it won't hold them. Head into the first room on your right."

"What about Lois? Is she there?" Clark asked losing his patience.

"Do as I say Kal or you'll never see her again," the hologram calmly answered.

Clark did as he was instructed but found an empty room with no way out other than the way he came. Outside in the hallway, he could rip metal being ripped apart. He didn't have much time. "Now what?"

"Strike that panel and break through," said Jor.

Kara appeared at the door and lunged at him. Clark punched through the wall and suddenly the whole room was being sucked through. He had just ripped a hole through the ship just as Kara was upon him. Her momentum knocked them both out into space. Clark spun wildly until he managed to regain control and used his flight ability to hover. His cousin wasn't so fortunate and was being dragged by Earth's gravity into the atmosphere. He was about to fly after her and save her when he noticed an escape pod launching off the Black Zero. Focusing his vision, he saw through a transparent glass covering that Lois was inside and she was panicking. The pod looked damaged and was building up speed into the atmosphere. Clark was torn, not wanting to abandon either Lois or Kara. Hoping that his cousin's enhanced strength and endurance could keep her alive, he shot towards Lois.

* * *

Kara screamed as fell through the sky. Flames covered her body as aerodynamic heating took effect. She tried to calm herself but her vision was spinning and her breathing was on the verge of hyperventilating. Her body and suit seemed to be able to withstand the heat from entering the atmosphere but her real concern was whether she could survive when she hit rock bottom. "C'mon fly….fly…Dammit how does Kal do that?" Kara groaned, trying to make herself defy gravity but having no success. She heard from the human reports they hacked into that Kal could fly and that was an ability Kara could really use right now.

She passed through a cloud layer, blinding her. When she emerged through it, she saw the ground rushing up closer and closer. Seeing no choice, Kara pulled her helmet off and exposed herself fully to Earth's atmosphere. The helmet filtered air through it slowly, allowing the user to slowly adapt. But Kara was more concerned about surviving then adapting. Within seconds, her senses exploded with sights and sounds but she also felt stronger. With the chaos assaulting her senses, she lost her grip on her helmet. Seconds away from impact, she closed her eyes.

And then nothing. She could feel herself in the air and not touching the ground but she wasn't moving either. Was her strength and durability now so powerful she didn't even feel pain from such a fall? Kara opened her eyes and realized she hadn't landed yet. She was floating several meters off the ground. Apparently she figured out how to fly. That quickly changed when Kara suddenly dropped expectantly to the ground. Getting to her feet and dusting herself off, she found herself in a meadow with tall grass. The sounds of small winged insects chirping, feathered flying animals, and even a gentle breeze all came blaring into her ears like bombs going off inside her head.

She couldn't find her helmet which forced Kara to do this the hard way. If she couldn't block her senses, then she needed to force herself to focus on whatever sights and sounds she wanted to her. Back in Kandor, the drill instructors taught you to focus during the chaos of battle by remembering key moments in your life that shaped you into the warrior you would become. For Kara, that moment was the day her father died.

* * *

_Terrax smiled as he tossed Zor's lifeless body aside. Kara's tear stained eyes refused to turn away from her father's corpse, even as the members of the Council began screaming in terror. "Not now Kara," she whispered to herself, trying to keep her mind focused through her grief. Terrax approached the councilors, his blades extended and covered in blood. Her father's blood. Then her mind managed to focus using one simple emotion, rage. Kara screamed as she fired at the monster's back, causing him to stumble but Terrax remained on his feet. He turned to glare at her with his blood red eyes and his fang-like teeth. His dark skinned body was covered in scars that were still slowing healing, some that would have been fatal to any other Kryptonian. Bone protrusions were starting to grow out of his elbows and knees. He looked more monster then man._

_Terrax roared in fury, rushing towards her. Anyone else would run in terror but Kara's rage outweighed her fear. She charged forward, rolling underneath a swipe of Terrax's blades. Still on her back, Kara fired a blast into Terrax's right arm blade, severing it. The monster turned and kicked the rifle right out of her hand. Kara rolled away as he slashed at her with his remaining blade. This time he actually managed to knick her chest plate armor. A quick inspection revealed the blade didn't penetrate through but just barely. Kara got to her feet and leaped back to avoid another slash. She made a dash for Terrax's severed blade, picking it up as she fled her monstrous pursuer. She spun around and flung the blade like a spear. Kara had aimed for his head but her aim was a little off. The blade went right through Terrax's neck. It slowed him down and blood dripped out of his mouth and neck. And yet unbelievably, he was still standing. Kara tried to avoid another slash but this time, the blade hit its target. Kara dropped to the ground, a bloody gash on her chest. Terrax grabbed her by the neck with his blade free hand and slammed her into a nearby wall. Gasping for air and struggling feebly to pry the monster's fingers off her neck. Starting to black out and seeing the other blade aimed at her head, Kara desperately shot her arm out into a palm thrust and struck the blade lodged in Terrax's neck. The blade sunk deeper in and for the first time, Terrax gasped. Blood now cascaded out of his mouth, drenching his entire chest. He dropped Kara and stumbled back. She gasped for air, coughing as Terrax dropped to his knees. _

_Then the most unbelievable thing happened right before Kara's eyes. Terrax grabbed the blade and pulled it right out. He roared in pain, blood gurgling inside his mouth. Kara would have run except she was in too much disbelief. Nothing could survive such wounds and still be alive. She glanced around and as soon as she saw her rifle lying close by, her mind focused. Gone was the fear and the horror, replaced by sheer rage. Kara scrambled over the weapon and unloaded round after round into Terrax. A scream filled the room as still the brute remained on his knees. When he finally dropped to the ground a bloody scorched mess, it was only then that Kara realized that the one screaming was her._

* * *

Kara opened her eyes and looked at her hands. No longer were they oscillating between flesh and bone but just perfectly normal. The sounds began to die down as well, enough to not be completely painful although they were still incredibly loud. Tapping on her wrist, Kara tried to activate her com to the Black Zero. To her surprise, nothing happened. A light should have gone off to indicate she was transmitting but instead there was nothing. Her communicator must have been damaged during her fight with Kal-El. Another reason to kick his ass the next time she saw him. Right now she needed to find some way to communicated with her ship and the only way to do that was to find a city or town. Kara just hoped that her presence could go unnoticed by the humans. She had godlike powers but it was best not to take chances.

* * *

At NORTHCOM headquarters, Lieutenant General Swanwick had just finished being debriefed on the engagement at Smallville, Kansas. It wasn't bad enough that these aliens had advanced technology but also superhuman physical abilities. The one called Kal-El or Superman as some of the analysts were beginning to call him could hear through a soundproof cell, ripped steel handcuffs like toilet paper, and could even fly. The reports of his engagement with several of Zod's followers didn't make the general feel any better. The one called Commander Faora took a direct hit from a Maverick missile and while she was rendered unconscious, she was relatively unharmed. Another one of the aliens threw a train car like a javelin and Superman not only survived the impact but walked away unscathed. With such power, Swanwick didn't want to think of the possibilities of how much damage they could cause if they were in a major city.

Captain Farris, the General's aide, entered his office. "Sir we have another confirmed alien landing," she spoke with an urgent sense. Swanwick rose from his chair and followed her into the Main Operations Center where dozens of analysts shifted through countless data collected from hundreds of satellites and other sources. The "Wall" as they call it was a series of large monitors at the front of the room which displayed real-time visuals from all over the planet. And right now the Wall has all of its monitors showing the same thing. A young female humanoid dressed in the same uniforms as the aliens that were previously encountered. It never ceased to unnerve Swanwick how human they all looked.

"We detected an object originating from the alien ship that crashed in western Iowa. At first we thought it was debris until a Predator sweep revealed this," explained Staff Sergeant Sekowsky from his terminal.

"Where did she crash? I want to see the wreck," ordered Swanwick.

"Sir she didn't have a shuttle," Sekowsky spoke as he took replayed footage from earlier where a satellite tracked a fast moving object and zoomed in. The alien somehow slowly landed onto the ground and then simply walked away.

"Are you telling me she not only survived falling through our atmosphere but she doesn't even have so much as a scratch on her? What the hell can kill these things?" Swanwick asked out loud.

Farris answered a nearby phone. "General, the White House on the line," she reported before handing him the phone. Looks like they weren't the only ones who found out about the alien. The Joint Chiefs and the National Security Council had been butting heads ever since the alien ship first showed up and the most heated issue was whether nuclear weapons should be used to fight them, even if they are on American soil.

"Mr. President," Swanwick answered.

"General. I've been debriefed on the engagement at Smallville and that we still have a single alien in Iowa," spoke the President of the United States.

"Yes sir. I've looking at the drone footage of it now," Swanwick replied.

"I'll make this brief General. So far we have yet to find a single effective weapon against them. I would like to know that my only remaining option isn't a nuclear strike," continued the President.

"I have the top minds in the country going over our previous engagements with the aliens and they believe they may have some means of fighting back without resorting to that," explained Swanwick.

"Please explain General," the President requested.

Swanwick continued, "During the last engagement, the Commanding Officer Colonel Nathan Hardy reported that the aliens, with the exception of the one Kal-El, were all wearing helmets while on Earth. When one of the aliens had her helmet damaged, she was in pain. We think their senses are so enhanced in our atmosphere that it literally overwhelms them. Dr. Emil Hamilton of DARPA theorized that the reason this one was rendered unconscious from a Maverick missile wasn't because of the explosion itself but rather the intense light and sound it produced."

"So instead of throwing grenades you're saying we should use flash bangs?"

"Precisely Mr. President. I have multiple Special Forces units on standby with multiple AH-6 Little Bird Helicopters all retrofitted to use LDARs. That's short for Long Range Acoustic Device. They are designed to emit high power sound waves in a focused beam so it can only be heard at full volume at targeted areas up to two miles away." LDARs have been used as an offensive weapon like blasting an enemy compound to disorient the enemy to dispersing crowds during riots. And with the alien's enhanced senses, Swanwick didn't want to think how painful it would be for one of them to experience it.

"I'm familiar with the technology," interrupted the President.

"This alien in Iowa doesn't have a helmet which we believe makes her vulnerable. Three F-15s with enough JDAMs to level an entire town are being fueled as we speak along with an AC-130W Stinger to provide fire support. The F-15s will first engage the target and incapacitate it. If that doesn't work, Delta Force will move in and utilize their LDARs with Stinger support to stun the target long enough for give the F-15s a perfect shot. Once the alien is down, a Delta team will move in via V-22 and secure the target for transport to a nearby nuclear bunker that's being retrofitted with various sonic and light based defensive measures that will hopefully contain it."

"Will that be enough?" asked the President.

"I'm afraid I cannot guarantee that Mr. President," answered Swanwick.

"And what about Delta Force team? What happens if the alien regains conscious during transport?" the President questioned.

"The men are aware of the risks and the V-22 is one of our fastest capable transports," Swanwick told him with a sense of hesitation. He wasn't comfortable with this plan but it was only the one they had without resorting to nuclear weapons.

"I'm not comfortable with this General but I'm giving you the green light."

(After three chapters with no real action, I wanted to have a fight scene in this one. Didn't want Kara and Clark to have a brutal one thought but rather more like a bar room brawl. Unlike the first fight with Doomsday where I wanted it bloody and brutal. Yes I said first fight because you know that won't be the last with him. Hope you liked and please review.)


	5. Chapter 5

(This is shorter than previous chapters but I just wanted to focus on the battle and nothing else.)

Master Sergeant Richard Flagg had been in the United States Armed Forces for over twenty years. Born in a small town he couldn't stand, Flagg enlisted the first chance he could and never looked back. A few years in, he passed Ranger school and joined the 75th Ranger Regiment. He fought in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Somalia among others. And that all felt like warm up compared to Delta OTC (Operator Training Course). Officially designated as 1st Special Forces Operation Detachment-Delta, Delta Force is one of the five Tier 1 military units in the Armed Forces and certainly the most popular among the press. Majority of the members were in their mid-thirties and most candidates who could pass other special forces training flunked out. Flagg rose up the ranks to command his own five man team call sign Sierra 3. Three assault troops and two snipers. Sergeant First Class Eric Mason, Sergeant First Class Charlie Cutter, Staff Sergeant Arnold Gerhardt, and Sergeant Vincent Walker. All five of them fought in over a dozen countries in operations no one will ever know occurred.

Yet the countless firefights and the multiple successful missions didn't give anyone much encouragement for their next mission. Fighting aliens with god-like powers were not covered in basic or any other training school. Flagg read the reports on the engagement at Smallville and even reviewed helmet cam footage. The aliens withstood everything from assault rifles to missiles and were capable of things you'd only see in the movies. And Sierra 3 had to take one alive assuming they even had the ordinance capable of incapacitating it. And if the plan goes off without a hitch and they carry the aliens onto the Osprey, if it wakes up during transport the team was as good as dead.

Flagg could tell that was on everyone's minds just by looking at their grim faces. Aside from the engine motors, the back of the Osprey was completely silent as Sierra 3 waited for the green light. The other Special Forces in the Little Bird choppers had a dangerous job as well but theirs was milled. They would engage the target but at least they had some form of weaponry to fight back. Flagg and his men had a smaller portable version of an LRAD to utilize but other than that, they had nothing. Anything else could just end up doing them more harm than good. The team were armed with assault rifles and side arms but those would be about as effect as throwing paper balls at this alien.

"_NORTHCOM this is Anvil Four-One. In position and awaiting package,"_ the V-22's pilot's com chatter came in through Flagg's ear mic.

"_Roger Anvil. All call signs check in," _replied General Swanwick.

"_Stinger Two-Five on station," _reported the AC-130 Stinger pilot.

"_Dagger-Two-One on station…Dagger Two-Two on station…Dagger Two-Three on station…Dagger Two-Four on station," _reported all of the AH-6 Little Bird pilots.

"_NORTHCOM this is Lightning One-One. We have the target in sight. Requesting permission to engage,"_ chimed in an F-15 pilot.

"_Lightning One-One you are cleared hot,"_ ordered Swanwick.

That was the signal, the operation was a go. "Alright gentleman this is it," Flagg told his men.

* * *

Kara had no idea where she was going. Her first priority should be to find a populated area and try to use one of their communication devices to contact the Black Zero. Her people on the bridge were monitoring the human coms so if Kara could broadcast a signal, all she would have to do was voice the proper code words and then the crew would know it was her. But so far all she found was a lot of grass, few trees, and no humans. It didn't help that everything still seemed incredibly loud. Also there was a human machine constantly flying overhead in a circular pattern, following her. Using her X-Ray vision, she could tell no human was inside and was some kind of drone. Clearly she caught someone's attention but so far it was only observing her. Kara could have tried to leap up and swat it down but that might send the wrong message to whoever's controlling it. She was just trying to get back to her ship, not start a fight.

A new sound caught Kara's attention, something distant. She focused on the source with her enhanced vision to see two specks in the sky and getting closer. As they got closer, her x-ray vision could make out humans inside of them. Kara didn't know much about human technology but she knew an aerial fighter when she saw it. The two vehicles soared overhead, releasing objects from their under bottom. She also knew bombs when she saw them. Kara used her strength to leap away at the last second but the resulting explosion still sent her flying out of control, rolling once she hit the ground. Her ears started to ring as the massive explosion nearly blew out her eardrums, disorientating her. So much so she could barely get back to her feet. The fighters were gone but now a new noise replaced theirs. It was the sound of fast moving rotors.

* * *

"_Good hit Lightning One-One. We have visual on target,"_ reported a Little Bird pilot. General Swanwick stood in NORTHCOM's Operations Center, watching everything unfold on the large displays in front of him. The first bombing strike had gone off without a hitch. Swanwick was surprised that no alien reinforcements had shown up to aide their comrade. Perhaps they didn't know it was here.

"_Copy that. Coming around to heading two-one-two degrees," _replied F-15 Commander.

"_Lightning this is NORTHCOM. Maintain a holding pattern until further notice. Stinger Two-Five you are cleared to engage."_ ordered Swanwick.

* * *

Whatever moment Kara had to orient herself vanished as firepower rained down from above. She had concentrated so much on the fighters and incoming rotor-based aircraft that she didn't notice another aircraft. Unlike the fast moving bombers, this one was circling overhead continuously bombarding Kara and the area surrounding her. Large bullets shot down, bouncing off her skin but carried enough force to knock her to the ground. Missiles and bombs soon followed with seconds away from impact. Unhurt but disorientated, Kara thrusted herself forward using her hands and knees. She launched herself away, using her super strength to clear herself of the blast radius.

"_NORTHCOM we have lost visual of the target. I repeat we have lost visual,"_ reported the Stinger. The entire room watched the footage of the bombardments but the alien had vanished. The attack seemed effective but whether the being was actually physically harmed was doubtful. If Smallville was any proof, Swanwick doubted it. These damn things seemed invincible.

"_This is Dagger Two-One. We'll sweep the area…WAIT THERE IT IS!" _screamed a Little Bird pilot.

* * *

Kara soared through the air and landed right on the front of a human flight machine with rotors on top and its tail. Not as efficient as Kryptonian flight tech but efficient enough to stay in the air. Climbing onto the front glass, Kara observed two humans manned the controls with two humans on each side manning four circular devices each attached to the machine for support. Kara didn't know what they were but she doubted they were harmless. One of the soldiers tried to swing his device around towards her direction but a simple swat from her knocked it right of its socket. Climbing up further, Kara stretched one of her hands up into the rotors which shredded themselves into pieces on her fingers.

"Mayday Mayday. Dagger Two-One is going down!" shouted the pilot. The machine dropped out of the sky and Kara moved herself underneath. Her feet hit the ground but the machine didn't. Holding it up with relative ease, she set it down harmlessly. Kara's eye caught another rotor machine nearby and with her strength soared through the air like a missile towards her target. Her ears could pick up the crew panicking mere seconds before she landed onto the side. Digging her fingers into the steel, she easily held on and kicked the back of the tail rotor right off the machine. Two down, two to go. Kara had no interest in killing the humans. They were more of an annoyance then a threat. The weapons they utilized though powerful couldn't harm her. Once again, she brought the machine down and stopped its crash by positioning herself underneath it.

Kara leaped off towards another one. Only this time, the humans were ready for her. Seconds away from her quarry, one of the passengers aimed the same disc-shaped device like the other machines had and activated. Instantly, Kara's ear felt like someone set off a high-pitched alarm inside her head. It was so loud and painful. Kara covered her ears and bounced off the machine like a rock. The machine spun from the impact but managed to regain control. Kara meanwhile dropped to the ground below. Though the impact was painless, her ears were still ringing. Maybe the humans did have something that could work on her.

Staying and attacking the rest of the humans was pointless. It wouldn't accomplish anything and Kara didn't want to experience that device again. She still wasn't completely able to master her enhanced senses yet and still couldn't handle loud sounds. But then again she didn't want to encourage further attacks so it was best to dissuade them from such force in the future. Kara shot towards a crashed machine were the crew were untangling themselves from the wreckage. They were injured but nothing serious as far as she could tell. Though they didn't really have to worry about her, the humans instantly pulled out their weapons and fired away. She passed by them, their weapons bouncing harmlessly off her skin.

Kara grabbed a large blade of the rotors and ripped it off. Just then, the intense sound returned. She covered her ears and glanced up at the source. Two machines remained, blasting her with sonic weapons. Enduring the torture, Kara aimed the blade and hurled it into the tail rotor of one of her attackers. Metal met metal, ripping each other apart. Instantly the machine began to spin downwards. Racing forward, she caught the crashing aircraft and gently set it down. Her ears felt on fire as she focused on the final one. Bracing herself, she leapt upwards and landed on front section of the machine. Punching through the glass, she grabbed the steering stick and forced it down. The machine responded by diving towards the ground. The pilot pulled out a sidearm and fired point black at Kara's head but stopped after two shots ricocheted off her and flew by his head.

Kara's feet hit the ground and she dug her hands into the sides, stopping the machine's crash and setting it harmlessly down. Quickly assessing the situation with her X-ray vision, Kara determined that none of the humans had suffered any fatal injuries. She glanced back at the machine she just brought down and was somewhat amused by the faces of its crew. They were stunned and angry but one thing was clear, they knew she let them live. It wasn't enough to just beat them. Kara wanted to them to know that they couldn't stop her and yet she didn't kill anyone. They were no threat to her but Kara just proved that she was no threat to them. She just wanted to get back to her ship.

The aircraft circling overhead was still on Kara's mind as she ripped another large rotor blade off. It wasn't going to bomb her for the moment with the other humans nearby but that could change. She glared at one of the humans, who still had his primitive rifle aimed at her. Whatever bravado he tried to hide behind was ruined by his shaking hands. "Can the people in that craft survive a crash?" Kara demanded. At first, he didn't answer her. Taking a single step towards him diminished their bravado.

"They all have parachutes so yeah," he finally answered. Kara felt his answer had more to do with the safety of the men in the aircraft rather than his own. Taking aim, Kara tossed the rotor blade through the air like a spear. She may not be an expert on human aviation but she knew a weak point when she saw. Her senses and strength enhanced beyond measure, the blade hit an engine on one of the crafts wings. The engine lite up on fire and the aircraft turned away in retreat. The humans on the ground all stared at her dumbfounded.

* * *

General Swanwick didn't know whether he felt more stunned or embarrassed at the moment. The alien had managed to survive a bombing run, disable an entire squadron of attack helicopters, and take down an AC-130 by throwing a helicopter blade like a javelin thousands of feet into the air. What the hell does it take to bring one of these things down?

"Uh sir. The F-15s are still in holding and requesting instructions," added Captain Farris who was still stunned by the apparent ease the alien defeated the attack force.

* * *

"Now!" shouted one of the humans. Before Kara had a chance to react, every single human survivor tossed grenades at her. Kara didn't know whether to admire them for their bravery or pity them for their stupidity. Suddenly, she was engulfed in a flash of light and sound. Kara stumbled to her knees as she realized the grenades weren't designed to kill but rather stun. The intense combination of bright light and loud bang disoriented her. For all her strength, Kara's enhanced senses were still a weakness she hadn't completely mastered yet and one the humans just exploited.

"Sir!" shouted Farris, pointing to the camera footage. A drone circling overhead picked up the helicopters attacking the alien with flash bangs. And that seemed to do the trick as it dropped to its knees disoriented.

"_This is Dagger Two-Five. Target is stunned. Requesting a fire mission immediately. This will be danger close. I repeat danger close,"_ a helicopter pilot urgently requested.

"Lightning One-One you are cleared to engage. Hit it with everything you've got," ordered Swanwick.

"_Copy NORTHCOM. Danger Close,"_ replied the F-15 Squad Leader.

Kara's senses began to return to her as she got back to her feet. Her ears were still ringing but her eyes could see more clearly. The humans were taking cover behind one of the wrecks. Kara was half-tempted to walk over there and teach them a lesson but realized that was childish. They had stunned her but otherwise didn't even scratch her armor. It was time to leave. Kara turned to simply walk away when she noticed four incoming objects coming from the sky. Smoke propulsion followed in their wake as they closed the distance between her. She had no time to react before they were upon. The last thing she remembered was being engulfed in flames from the explosions before everything went dark.

(Now I know some people will be angry that Kara was seemingly defeated by the military but remembered she didn't have a helmet on and hadn't completely mastered her senses yet like her cousin. Faora was knocked out by a missile to the face after all. I know Zod mastered his senses very quickly in the movie but I thought that was a little cheesy whereas Kara I wanted to take more time. Flagg is a character I wanted to introduce in this chapter as he will become more relevant in future chapters. Hope you liked and please review.)


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